This invention relates to a method of installing a front windshield on an automotive vehicle body. The method includes the step of positioning two guides on a frontal surface of the vehicle body so that when the windshield is lowered onto the frontal surface the windshield is centered relative to the side edges of the frontal surface.
Under conventional practice in the automotive vehicle manufacturing industry, the front windshields are installed on the associated vehicle bodies by lowering the windshield onto a frontal surface of the vehicle body so that the windshield is in a centered position on the frontal surface. After installation of the windshield an exterior trim panel and weatherstrip are installed on the frontal surface along each side edge of the windshield.
If the windshield is off center relative to the side edges of the frontal surface it may not be possible to properly install the exterior trim panel and weatherstrip at one (or both) edge of the windshield. In extreme cases it may be necessary to remove the windshield and repeat the windshield installation process.
The present invention relates to a method of installing a windshield on a frontal surface of a vehicle body, wherein the method includes the step of positioning two guides along the side edges of the frontal surface. When the windshield is lowered onto the vehicle body frontal surface the guides will automatically guide the windshield to a centered position on the frontal surface; i.e. both side edges of the windshield will be spaced the same distance from the respective side edges of the frontal surface.
In preferred practice of the invention the guides are adjustable to compensate for manufacturing variations in the edge-to-edge dimension of the vehicle body frontal surface.
The method of the present invention is advantageous in that the windshield is automatically installed in a centered position on the vehicle body frontal surface, such that areas of the frontal surface along the side edges of the windshield are suitably dimensioned to receive exterior trim panels and weatherstrip elements.